Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । यदि प्रसन्नो देवेश वरं नो दातुमर्हसि । गंगामानय वेगेन ह्यभिषेकाय नो हर

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | yadi prasanno deveśa varaṃ no dātumarhasi | gaṃgāmānaya vegena hyabhiṣekāya no hara

Translation

The sages said: “If you are pleased, O Lord of gods, and deem it fit to grant us a boon—O Hara, bring the Gaṅgā swiftly for our consecratory bathing (abhiṣeka).”

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• प्रसन्नः: pleased
• प्रसन्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (भावे), 'to give'

• अर्हसि: you are able/fit (ought)
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• गङ्गाम्: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• आनय: bring
• आनय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• वेगेन: with speed
• वेगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• अभिषेकाय: for consecration/ablution
• अभिषेकाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नः: for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• हर: carry/bring (O Hara)
• हर: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Īśvara (Hara/Śambhu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of austere sages in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, hands folded, beseeching Hara to summon Gaṅgā swiftly for consecratory bathing; Śiva present as boon-giver.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Hara (Śiva)
• Gaṅgā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine grace is sought not for worldly gain but to deepen sacred worship—here, by requesting Gaṅgā-water for consecration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Saṅgāleśvara context), where the sages desire Gaṅgā for abhiṣeka, amplifying the site’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka (ritual consecratory bathing) using Gaṅgā water for worship of Śiva.